Roofing tile and process



Sept. 13, 1932. T. c. PROUTY l RooFING TILE AND PROCESS Filed Nov. l2, 19428 E555 l? F5554 un@ IEN glI This decorative effect is Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE:

THEODORE C. PBOUTY, OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'METLOX COB- PQRATION, LTD., 0F MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALI- FORNIA noorme TILE AND rnocrss f f- I Application med November 12, 1928. Serial No. 318,759.

This invention relates to roofing tile, and `more particularly to the production of novel color effects therefor.

In its broadest aspect, my invention can be applied to a wide variety of materials that can be formed into roofing tile; but prefer to applylmy invention to ceramic tile, made in accordance with any of the usual clay formulas.

It is desirable in connection with tile roofs, to provide a variegated color effect. In the past, this ei'ect has'been obtained b using tiles or shingles of different colors, W ich are indiscriminately interspersed on the roof. due to a haphazard arangement of the individual tiles or shing es.

It is one of the objects of my invention to make it possible to provide a novel and strik ing color effect for roofs,that does not depend upon haphazard selection of vari-colored tile ,or shingle.

It is another object of my invention to pro-, vide a novel process for manufacturing colored tile. t

My invention possesses many otheradvantages, and has other objects which ma be made more easily apparent from a consi eration of several embodiments of my invention.

For this purpose I have shown a few forms part of the in lthe drawing accompanying and forming present specification. I shall now proceed to describe these forms in detail, which Villustrate the general principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of my invention is best .defined by the appended claim.

Referringto the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of roofing tile in connection with which my invention may be practiced; 5

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged rspective view of a portion of the tile s own 1n 1; y ig. 3 isa plan view of a portion of a t1le having slightly different textures, can be used with my invention;

`liFig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the surface texture shown in Fig. 3.

' color glaze 13 only is visible,

' by there are substantially the but which P In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2', I show a clay tile 11 that is of ta ering thickness, and having a series of ri ges 12, forming alternate depressions and elevations. I arrange matters in such a way that the tile 11 presents different colors when it is viewed from different angles. Thus if a person views the roof as he proceeds along a direction that causes his angle of vision to change, the tile appears to change color. By appropriate combination of tiles pn the roof, not only is the roof variegated in color, but the variegations are' themselves altered.

I accomplish this result by so applying colors, such 'as ceramic glazes, that some of the colors are screened by the elevations 12, and that another color onl is exposed, the particular color screened eing dependent upon the angle of vision. In Fig. 2, I show each elevation 12 as having on one of the sides thereof, a color glaze 13; and on the other side, a different color glaze 14.. Thus if the. angle of vision be such as is represented by the lines 15, it is apparent that the and that the elevations 12 effectively screen the other color 14. On the other hand, if the angle of vision be such as is represented by the lines 16, it is apparent that the color glaze 14 onl is visible, and that the elevations 12 e ectively screen the other color 13.

. By making these two glazes 13 and 14 ofb dierent colors, the apparent color of the tile 11 thus changes with the angle of view'. By

tween the elevations 12 unglazed, the original tile color is left exposed; and if the angle of vision is directly from above, a third color effect is secured. `For example, if the tile is red, the color glazes 13 and 14 can be blue and green or any other contrasting colors, whereproduced three separate and diseach of which can predominate entire lield of view. The apex of' each elevation 12 forms the lace where the two colors on opposite sides tinct colors,

of th elevation come together. ridges or elevations are left rather narrow, the color eect on the apex does notinterfere When the'- leaving the bottoms of the depressions be- .ab i

covered with different colored glazes.

materially with the general eect herein discussed. f The particular form of elevation on the tile face is immaterial, so long as texture is provided that permits some faces of the elevations to be obscured byothers. Thus in Figs. 3 and 4, the elevations take the form of square pyramids 17 the four faces of which can be In either case, the elevations and depressions also serve the useful The glazes can be applied to the surfaces in any convenient manner; for example, by the aid of a paint spray gun that shoots a spray in a definite direction. The colored sprays the direction of lines 15 and 16. After this A application, the tilescan be placed in kilns to .Y body; or else the fire the glaze. plished simultaneously with the firing of the body can be fired first, and the glaze applied and fired afterward. When the paint or glaze islapplied, the elevations 12 or 17 serve to screen those faces upon which the particular colored glaze is not intended to be applied. Of course, the amount of sprayed material must be just sufiicient` to cover the unscreened sides of the elevations, Without covering the bottoms of the `depressions.

I claim:

As an article of manufacture, a roof tile or shingle having a surface that has elevations and depressions, said elevations havin different colors on different faces thereo and of such proportions with relation to the depressions that they screen the color on color on the otherside, and said depression having a colorfdiiferent from the above mentioned colors, and which is the color of the material forming the tile, whereby a view from above causes the tile to assume the color of the depression.

In ttimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

TEEODORE C. PROUTY.

purpose of preventing glare.

different l can be alternately applied in Thisfiring can be accomcan serve substantially to one side and to expose the 

